1 The Brothers Karamazov

Chapter 8

Over the Brandy

T

HE controversy was over. But, strange to say, Fyodor

Pavlovitch, who had been so gay, suddenly began frown-

ing. He frowned and gulped brandy, and it was already a

glass too much.

‘Get along with you, Jesuits!’ he cried to the servants.

‘Go away, Smerdyakov. I’ll send you the gold piece I prom-

ised you to-day, but be off! Don’t cry, Grigory. Go to Marfa.

She’ll comfort you and put you to bed. The rascals won’t let

us sit in peace after dinner,’ he snapped peevishly, as the

servants promptly withdrew at his word.

‘Smerdyakov always pokes himself in now, after dinner.

It’s you he’s so interested in. What have you done to fasci-

nate him?’ he added to Ivan.

‘Nothing whatever,’ answered Ivan. ‘He’s pleased to have

a high opinion of me; he’s a lackey and a mean soul. Raw

material for revolution, however, when the time comes.’

‘There will be others and better ones. But there will be

some like him as well. His kind will come first, and better

ones after.’

‘And when will the time come?’